Can opener



O. EDLUND C AN OPENER Filed March 1, 1941 0. LE'JZZ( B1) l. i

:Snnentor Gtto Patented Dec. 2, 1941 2,264,937! cANorENEni Oscar; 0.V Edlund, Burlington,I V1, assignor.- to

Edlund Company; Burlington, Vt., a partnershipcomposvedof'Oscar 0. Edlund and Walter W. Edlund ApplicatioirMarclt 1*, 1941', SerialNu;381;,338..-`

(Cl. 30-I5,)

3T. Claims..

l ting action thel blade had a tendency to scrapelv thetin on the cut portions which wasfdeposite'dfon the inside of the can.

An object of the invention is the provision of a can opener in which thefbead on the can is adapted to be clamped between a rotatable mem*- ber and a penetrating` blade of the'ropener; the'- rotatable member being adapted to revolve-the"- can so that the metal' of1v the topvof'th'e can will be forced againstthe shearing edgeof' theA blade for notiA only shearing thex topfrom the` can, but forneatly forcing`J that portion ofthe top adjacent"v the bead, which hasinot'b'eenAK out,rv against the inner wall'of the can; the blade-be ing so constructed that itl will neatlyshearf the metal with substantially nodischarge; off granular metallduring-.the shearing operation:l

Another object of' the invention` is'- thev pro vision of a can opener having a blade so formedA4 that it will provde-ashearing actioni rather than a cutting action thereby causing less friction when the'l blade cutsathrough the tin, thev shear 1'1' ing action eliminating scraping of: the' tin fromthe severedV parts', and thereby eliminating the usual tin deposits which fall upon the contents of the can.

A further objectv of the invention is: the pro vision of a blade for use ina can opener Wl'iioh will positively shear the metal of the topy neatly thereby eliminating tin deposits-on thel contents of the can', atransverse groove formed intheblade adjacent the shearing edge and opening' directly into theshearingfedge where said'edge comes in Contact with themetal ofy the: topwhen said topY is being removed to'providef'a thin but serviceable knife edge', said blade being curvedly transversely to provide a convex face to the inner portion of the bead onthe can and to that portion of the metal which remains enti-'ie tollix when the centerl of the top-is being cutawa-yso'- that said rounded' orv convex'y portionV will slidea freely over the remaining portion off'the'top-andl movei it into. dat contact: with: the inner walls4 of the can", the edge of? such-L4 depressed ange being.; devoid' off sharpl edges; thus; eliminating the' danger of-"cutting thefhands ofi the operator/ This. invention"y will bebest; understood from a consideration: of thev following detailed description, in?x View: ofi" theY accompanying draw'- ing forming a; part of` specification nevertheiessyitzisitovbe" understood thatftheinvention is notconned tozthefdisolosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications asi denef no. mate'rialY departure: from the salient features of'th'ef invention as-aecipressed" in the appended claims...

In therawingi.

Figure l: is-rA an edge view of 1 the shearing: knife shown; in: operative. position on'` a section of? a can..

Figure 2-fisfa verticalysectionof the knife and? can.u

Eigurel= 3`fis=lafrontview of the cutting. blade.

Figurel 'isarearfVievmftle same.

Figurev 51 is ;a 1 top' `plan` View of the' knifeT shownattached to a supporting member of a can open- Figure 6:'i's .a lvi'e'w in? perspective' ofthe blade in detached relation:

Figure '71' is' a diiTerent-fview in perspective of thed'eta'chedblade.

Figure 8 is an end view showing the blade`A iittedztoiasmalltcan opener.

Fig-ure'- 92 is a: detail lview'in elevation and 'part- 1yr ini sectionA illustratingY a' conventional turning means; for usef'inzco'n'junction withthe canlopen-` er'showir in Figs. 1anol2.v

Referring` more. particularly to the. drawing, Illf: designates;theman` which has .the usual closed' tenTv and? bottom andi: which`V is. formed ofr metal, The top: is fadaptedxto bev cut-:by 'an'.instrumentto provide an opening through# which-1 tlie'- contents oiitlie' can isfdischarged;Y

Theftorrfofthe can is. stamped from a singleV slfieetfoflf metaal. and generallyhas a. Ushapect member as its peripheryitozengage over. theupper edge lll oi? the can. This; U-shaped. member4 comprises: an outer flange lf2 which closely contacts the outer'wallA Aiflange I3s'engagestheininer: wallioff the can: lsfandiisconnected with thel flange I 2; a; bight portion. rf whereby theftop issupportedfupon the upper end' ont-he.: can. The top l5; is integral`v with the?. lower edge of: the flange` lf3-iso lthatthe't'ma per seis depressed below Athe IupperiedgeV of the can.,

The generali run ofi cutters: whichiare' employed fore' cuttingV the-top I'f away from the@k flange Ill? are generally provided with a penetrating point and a cutting edge so that when the penetrating point is forced through the top I5 and a member is revolved, which is in contact with the ange I2 of the top, the can will be rotated so that the top will be cut away, while a portion I6 of the top which remains after the cut has been made is forced towards the inner side walls of the can. However, the cutting action of the blade which is usually of the at type, not only leaves a rough edge at the lower end of the member I6, but the cutter itself scrapes the tin deposited on the body of the can and this scraped metal falls as deposits on food which nds its way into the mouths of the consumer.

A new type of blade is shown more particularly in Figs. 3, 4, 6 and '1. 'I'his blade is provided with a shank portion having threaded passages 2I and 22 whereby threaded boltsfor screws 23 and 24 respectively are threaded into these passages for connecting the shank to a depending block or holder 25 which forms part of the can opener not shown. A triangularly shaped blade, usually designated by the numeral 26 depends from the lower end of the shank 2D. It will be noted in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 that the shank is convexly curved as indicated by the numeral 21. The blade is likewise curved along the same arc of curvature of the shank 26 as shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2 for a purpose which will be presently explained.

The blade, generally designated by the numeral 26, is in the shape of a right angular triangle and is provided with a cutting edge along the hypotenuse of the triangle, while one edge 29 of a transverse groove 36 forms a base of the triangle. The side 3| of the triangle which is at approximately right angles to the base 29, is a continuation of the straight side edge 32 of the shank 26. It will be noted that the shearing edge 28 is cut off at an acute angle and the apex 33 of the triangle is also sheared oi at 34 as shown in Figs. 4 and 7 to provide a penetrating point 35.

The groove 36 extends transversely of the blade 26 and extends through the sheared portion 28 which forms the shearing edge and this groove is expanded at this point as shown at 36 to provide a reduced shearing portion as shown at 31 in Figs. l and 6.

Since not only the shank 26 is curved transversely so as to provide the convex surface, the blade 26 also has a convex surface 40 which engages the outer face of the portions I6 of the top which remains after the top has been sheared. This rounded surface on the blade limits the frictional contact between the blade and the flange I 6 and also provides a means for forcing the remaining portion I6 of the top into contact with the inner wall of the can IB.

In applying the can opener carrying the blade to the top of the can the penetrating point is forced downwardly, and due to the fact that the tip of the blade is sheared as shown at 34 (Fig, 7) the blade will readily penetrate the top I5. As the blade is forced completely into position the metal of the top is sheared by the edge 28. The rotatable member is operated and the can will be revolved since the top of the can and the anges I2 and I3 are clamped between the blade 26 and the rotatable member 4I. When the rotatable member is actuated the can will be revolved and the metal oi the top will be sheared by the cutting edge 31 where the narrowest portion of the blade is located. This type of blade will cause a clean shearing action and eliminates the usual scraping caused by the ordinary forms of blades so that tin deposits are reduced to a minimum.

In the form shown in Fig. 8 a blade 45 is shown in operative relation with a roller 46 of a small hand-operated can opener generally designated by the numeral 41. This blade has an angularly shaped shank due to the diierence of construction between this can opener and the one partially illustrated in Figs. l and 2. Since the blades are identical in construction the same reference numerals have been applied to this blade and it is not believed that further description of the same is necessary.

It will be seen from a careful inspection of the drawings that the shearing edge of the knife 26 is beveled and inclined at an acute angle to the side edge 32 of the shank 26. Thus, that portion of the knife which cuts the top I5 away from the can is biased with respect to a plane passing through the top. Therefore, the blade does not merely out downwardly through the metal but a gradual shearing action is provided.

The shearing action is enhanced by the peculiar formation of the blade where the flared end of the groove 30 enters the knife. The flaring not only provides a thinner shearing edge when the top of the can is removed but the edge curves outwardly from opposite sides oi the point of contact so that the metal when being cut is smoothly pressed in opposite directions thereby eliminating to a minimum any metal deposits. The blade shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 9 is attached to the type of cutter described and illustrated in Patent No. 1,713,823 dated May 21, 1929 of H. J. Edlund.

Iclaim:

1. In a can opener in which the bead on the can is adapted to be clamped between a rotatable member and a penetrating blade of the opener, a blade being in the shape of an inverted right triangle, the downwardly projecting apex of the triangular shaped blade forming a penetrating point, that portion of the blade which forms the hypotenuse of the triangle being bev eled to provide a shearing edge, the outer face of the blade being convexly curved transversely of the blade and provided with a transverse groove at the base of the triangle, said groove where it enters the shearing edge forming a reduced portion which is adapted to shear the top from a can.

2. In a can opener in which the bead on the can is adapted to be clamped between a rotatable member and a penetrating blade of the opener, said blade having a convex outer side wall and having the outer and inclined edge which is sheared oi at an angle to the outer side in said blade extending from a shank having a convex outer side wall and a downwardly projecting point, the bottom of the blade between the point and shank being inclined at an acute angle to one side edge of the shank, said bottom being beveled to provide a shearing edge, the convex outer side wall having a transverse groove which is flared where it enters the shearing edge to reduce said edge at this point.

3. In a can opener in which the bead on the can is adapted to be clampedbetween a rotatable member and a penetrating blade of the opener, said blade having a convex outer side wall and having the outer and inclined edge which is sheared off at an angle to the outer side in said blade extending from a shank, having a convex outer side wall and a downwardly projecting george? point, the bottom of the blade between the point and gradually curving outwardly in opposite diand shank being inclined at an acute angle to rections from the shearing position so that when one side edge of the shank, said bottom being the metal is sheared the shearing edge will be beveled to provide a shearing edge, that portion biased with respect to the plane passing through of the shearing edge which progressively shears 5 the top. the top from a can being restricted in thickness OSCAR O. EDLUND. 

